Non-wettable coatings have many applications, including medical prosthetics, surgical tools, aircraft de-icing, mold-release components, cookware, appliances, extruder coatings, chemical processing components, gaskets, seals, diaphragms, packings, linings, valve seats, and the like where wetting is undesirable.
Fluorocarbon polymers are well known, with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), such as Du Pont TEFLON.RTM.; polytetrafluoropropylene; and polyvinylidene fluoride, dating back more than 50 years. These fluorocarbon polymers are known to provide non-wettable coatings and find use in many of the applications referred to above.
Graphite fluoride, another fluorinated carbon, was reported in 1934 by Ruff and Bretschneider in Z. Annor. Allg. Chem. 1 (217). Graphite fluoride is produced by direct fluorination of graphite carbon at about 600.degree. C. The products are bulk white, non-aromatic solids. The products yielded are gray/black materials when the processing temperatures are reduced. The composition of the graphite fluoride ranges from CF.sub.0.58-1.2.
While the fluorocarbon materials known in the art find use in many applications, improvements are desired in certain properties such as wettability characteristics. It is also desirable to provide non-wettable materials with improved temperature and chemical resistance, low friction, and high heat resistance.